Everything Has Changed
by Greeno
Summary: The wizarding world is free of Voldemort, but what does the Gryffindor princess do now? Hogwarts has changed and so have the people attending. With a special eighth year to attend and no Ron or Harry to keep her company, Hermione must form new friendships and learn to forgive and forget. But nothing is ever easy.. Dramione and other relationships
1. Chapter 1

Hermione POV:

Dear Diary,

Well it's been nearly a month since Harry, Ron and I defeated Voldemort. Now that it's over I feel... lost? I don't know what to do any more and I hate going out in public when the paparazzi are about. But.. I DID get a letter from Professor McGonagall asking me if I wanted to return to school to finish my NEWTS and get my qualifications. I think I will, I'm not quite sure I'm ready to start my life outside of Hogwarts yet, and I really do want to get my qualifications... Oh I might as well, what is the worst that can happen? I mean sure it will be different now that the school has been rebuilt and that some students are not...able to return. But is that not all the more reason to carry on, in their honour, and not let Voldemort or his idiotic death eaters ruin my life. I plan to live a life full of fun, and live for all those who died to ensure I could. But back to Hogwarts, I am going to go back but I know Ron and Harry won't be. We all got asked to join the auror academy as soon as we defeated Voldemort, but I declined. I think I've seen enough death to last me a life time, which is why I want to become an advanced healer. I want to bring hope to those who fear that their life is drawing to a close, but I want to have a decree in both muggle and wizard healing, I want to be the best there is. I want to be known as Hermione Granger, the best healer alive, not Hermione Granger, Harry Potter's best friend. I aspire to do a lot whilst I can, which is one of the reasons I declined Ron's proposal. Well that's what I told him anyway.. It's not that I don't love Ron, I really do, but in more of a brother way. I mean I used to fancy him but after spending all that time together whilst hunting for the horcruxs I realised that he was not the boy I imagined him to be… and well not really for me. It's kinda awkward between us now and he was a little down but I'm sure he'll get over it. I mean it's just me right? Just plain old Hermione…

A plus side is Ginny is returning, but I'll be in eighth year, an extra year for all those who missed their seventh or wish to redo it, so we won't have any lessons together. I wonder who I will have lessons with? I am taking potions, charms, herbology, transfiguration, ancient runes and care of magical creatures. I am sure I will find someone to be friends with… or at least hang around… But I do not know, everything has changed, hasn't it?

_Hermione_

Draco POV:

Dear diary

Mother has made me go to a therapist to make sure I am ready for social interactions again and to help me get over … the previous year's events. Not that the therapist is any good, all she does is stare at me, giggle like a school girl and give me useless advise. It was her idea I write a bloody diary, but I have no idea why I decided to. I mean I am a 19 year old boy writing in a silly little diary, some may say I am the next tom riddle..

Well anyway to get to the point, I'm having dreadful nightmares which terrorise me every time I even attempt to go to sleep so I have taken to going on midnight strolls and observing the beauty of the world and thanking Merlin that Voldemort is finally gone. Now I finish my education properly. I must admit I was surprised when I got a letter from professor McGonagall asking me if I wished to return with some of the other students in my year to join eighth year, which was made especially for us due t the lack of education we received last year, but I have decided that I want to return and get my NEWTS. This may sound weird but I need my grades to get into a healing programme. Yes, I want to be a healer, and I know this may surprise some but I really do, I have caused so much pain and terror in my lifetime that I now want to help heal people and bring them joy. The subjects I have chosen to take are potions, charms, herbology, transfiguration, ancient runes and care of magical creatures. I tend to surprise people, they don't expect me to be very intelligent see, but I am. Well I'm good but I have never been the best. That was always Hermione… I wonder who else will be returning, but I have heard that because there are few of us we will all be sharing a common room and dorms, to help house unity or something, and that they were built especially for us when the rest of the castle was rebuilt.

I am kind of nervous to be starting school again, especially as there is no professor Snape anymore… But I intend to keep my head down and stay out of trouble because, to everyone's surprise, I do not want any trouble..

Draco


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** This fanfic will not be made up entirely of diary entries, I just think using them helps get characters thoughts across when there is no dialogue.

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**Hermione POV:**

**Dear diary, **August 16th

Today when I was eating my pancakes I got my Hogwarts letter. I must admit it was strange to see the owl come and drop the thick parchment envelope on my table then fly away. When I picked up the heavy parchment I hastily broke the Hogwarts seal which it was sealed with and withdrew the parchment from inside, eager to see what books I would need to get. Quickly scanning the page I found that I needed:

Advanced Potion Making II

Standard Book Of Spells Grade 7

Herbology For Healers

Transfiguration For Teens

Ancient Runes: The Dark Ages

The Monster Book Of Monsters II

And, diary, I have read both the potions and charms textbooks in the library already, is that not useful! But I am keenly anticipating returning to Hogwarts to once again feel the challenge of problems to be solved and to further my knowledge even more. So, obviously, you can see why I hurriedly put on a summer dress and put my hair up in a messy ponytail before apparating to the leaky cauldron. Once there I tapped the brick which was above the trash can, three up and two across. I felt the ever present thrill of seeing the bricks slide away and Diagon Alley reveal itself to me. Once I was composed again I hurried to Flourish and Blotts, obviously, to get the new books I needed. After spending a good hour in the bookshop I left with far more bags then was necessary for the six books I was supposed to be getting. Feeling rather hot and hungry I decided to go to Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlour and I ordered a chocolate frog sundae, my favourite, and I settled outside and slowly worked my way through my mountain of ice cream. Then suddenly I saw a flash of blonde and I knocked my ice cream onto the floor, causing it to smash and unfortunately drawing attention to myself. A furious blush raged its way from my neck to my head and saying sorry I quietly mumbled the charm to fix the glass and clear the mess. When I looked back up I noticed a pair of stormy grey eyes fixed on me. I was entranced, I wanted to look away but felt myself unable to. Then blinking I surveyed the person and realised it was MALFOY! He was not dressed in black robes but in muggle denim shorts and a Pink Floyd top. But due to my lack of discretion I think my mouth dropped open and I scared him away as he blushed and hurried off. Thoroughly shocked I sat there staring at the space he had previously occupied for approximately five minutes before I shook myself and gathered my books to carry on shopping.

Once I got home I began to pack. Well there is no time like the present right?! Well anyway I packed all my Hogwarts essentials and only the clothes I knew I would not be needing between now and September 1st. And now I guess I'm writing in you, diary, and I guess I should confess, due to this diary being for my deepest thoughts, that Malfoy has been plaguing my mind since my encounter with him at Diagon Alley. I mean he had a couple of Flourish and Blotts bags and he was checking some parchment so I am assuming that he will also be attending Hogwarts for his eighth year. And yet I surprised myself because I did not feel disgusted or hateful at the thought of him also returning. Also I cannot help but repeatedly admire his mystical eyes, so full emotion yet with a clarity in them that both scares and entices me. Oh I don't know diary, I'm just confused. I know I am expected to hate him but I don't. I can't. Because Draco is not the boy who made all the wrong choices, he is the boy who did not have a choice. He was born into this dark hateful world and was immediately enveloped in it, just as I was with the light side. But a wise man once said "Besides, the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters. We've all got both light and dark inside us." and I fully these words of wisdom. My parents are muggles but they do not define me, I proved that by earning the title 'the brightest witch of her generation' but I guess not everyone sees the world this way, some things are not as black and white as they seem but technicolour.

**Hermione**

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**Draco POV:** August 16th

Today my Hogwarts letter arrived. This filled me with both hope and horror, hope at the thought of my life suddenly having some structure again, and possibly being as careful as it once was, and horror once I realised I was doing this, I could not back out. I had to face everyone once for all as I could not let my mistakes rule my future. So mustering up my Gryffindor courage I put on my muggle attire and had a breakfast of strong, black coffee then set off for Diagon Alley. Once there I quickly when to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and Flourish and Blotts and brought a few extra books than necessary. Feeling slightly peckish and awfully hot and stuffy I thought I would go to Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlour to get my favourite, chocolate frog sundae, but I never quite made it inside. As I was about to enter the shop I heard a smash and then turned to see Hermione Granger. I think I may have scared her though as I began to stare at her. Yes I stared at the poor girl. She was probably terrified of me. I doubt she realises that I do not believe in blood prejudice, or any prejudice for that matter, any more. I never really did to be honest, I was just idolising my father. Anyway I do not know why but I was shocked at how much she had changed from the uptight, bossy first year I remembered with frizzy hair and buckteeth. But now with normal sized teeth and wavy hair, she looked nothing like the annoying girl I used to know. Her wavy hair was up in a messy ponytail with a few loose pieces of hair which framed her lightly, golden skin and she was wearing a pretty, floral dress which looked nice on her compared to the usual jumpers and trousers she once preferred. As I was studying her our eyes met and I almost got lost in them as they were the colour of runny honey. Suddenly realising what I was doing I felt embarrassed and instead looked down at my list to check I had everything and I felt her eyes boring into me and then a light blush crept up my neck and I hurried away, eager to get home as I had everything.

On my way home I stopped at a muggle convenience store and brought I pot of ice cream called 'Ben & Jerry's' which was 'cookie dough' flavoured. I'm eating it now as I am writing in you. It is delicious; I must try more muggle cuisine. I do not know why I am always surprised at muggles, it is not like they are stupid, they are just unlucky as they do not have magic. But they manage. And I respect that because they have built a big and advanced world without magic, completely through using their own intelligence and labour. One may even go as far as to say that the muggle world has evolved quicker, and better, than the magic world. I never saw the world this way before as my life was dominated by what my dad believed. But I could have thought for myself. But I didn't. And I regret it every day. And every night as nightmares plague my sleep. But I have to deal with my life as it is; I guess I lived by the muggle saying, 'ignorance is bliss', because it was. It truly was. But now I have to live in the real world and I have to deal with the consequences of living that way. But that is life. And I accept that.

**Draco**

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**A/N:** Please review and I will try to update regularly :)


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